Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball)

Who will be the winner of Golden Ball this Year ?

  • Kaka'

    Votes: 27 39.7%
  • Andrea Pirlo

    Votes: 3 4.4%
  • Leo Messi

    Votes: 12 17.6%
  • Zlatan Ibrahimovic

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Francesco Totti

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • Ronaldinho

    Votes: 3 4.4%
  • Luca Toni

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • Frank Ribery

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Riquelme

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Francesc Fabregas

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • Gigi Buffon

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Cristiano Ronaldo

    Votes: 9 13.2%
  • Didier Drogba

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Steven Gerard

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Genaro Gattuso

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Wayne Rooney

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Paul Scholes

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Ruud van Nistelrooy

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • David Villa

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • Paolo Maldini

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Deco

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Thierry Henry

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Diego

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Ricardo Quaresma

    Votes: 1 1.5%
  • Clarence Seedorf

    Votes: 2 2.9%
  • Miroslav Klose

    Votes: 1 1.5%

  • Total voters
    68

GreatKalu

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The club swiftly brought him to Europe - paying for treatment for the youngster's growth hormone deficiency.

"Without growth hormones Lionel would have grown, at best, to 1m50 by the time he reached adulthood," his father Jorge once told L'Equipe Magazine.

 

Ashish

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leo deserves it

awesome player
 

acerвιc wιт

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Congratulations Messi. Well deserved. No surprises here.
 

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Milan Congratulate Lionel Messi After Ballon D'Or Win

The Rossoneri have sent warm wishes to Messi after he won the Ballon d'Or...

Milan have sent their congratulations to Barcelona ace Lionel Messi after he scooped the 2009 Ballon d'Or award.

Messi won 473 votes out of 480 to win the coveted award from France Football. Milan have enjoyed their fare share of success in the award over the years and they have sent a warm message to Messi via their official website.

A statement from Milan reads:

"Immediate warm and heart felt congratulations from Milan to Lionel Messi. Milan have had such success of major trophies that we cannot help but appreciate those who win major titles and individual honours. It's a common thing among big clubs to congratulate each other.

"In 2008 Manchester United players made some nice comments about Milan after they won the Champions League in Moscow.

"In 2009 Barcelona made some nice statements about Paolo Maldini after they won the Champions League in Rome. Therefore our appreciation in relation to big winners is a natural one."
 

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Top 10 Players Never To Win The Ballon D’Or Since 1995
With the 2009 Ballon d'Or awards just around the corner, Goal.com runs down a list of the Top 10 players never to have won the award since the change of rules in 1995 that allowed non-European players to be eligible to lift the trophy...
Nov 24, 2009
10) Davor Suker

Prolific former Croatian striker who twice should have been in the running to win the Ballon d'Or - in 1996 and 1998 where his goals led his country to the quarter final and semi final of the European Championships and World Cup respectively, losing out to the eventual winners on both occasions. With 45 strikes in 69 appearances for Croatia, and goals galore for the likes of Dinamo Zagreb, Sevilla and Real Madrid, Suker was one of the best hitmen of his generation. He came close to the Ballon d'Or in 98, but finished second to Ronaldo.

9) Peter Schmeichel

One of three goalkeepers to make our list. Although Rivaldo lifted the Golden Ball in 1999, many people believe that Peter Schmeichel was the worthy recipient. The big Dane didn’t even finish in the Top 3 that year, but he had been inspirational during Manchester United’s Champions League success. Particularly in the final in Barcelona where his heroics prevented Bayern taking a two-goal lead before United’s dramatic late comeback. The year of 1999 was the height of a brilliant club and international career for Schmeichel, who was also crucial in Denmark’s shock Euro ’92 victory. Arguably the best goalkeeper of the 1990s, but no Ballon d’Or to show for it.

8) Raul

Just looking at the club career years next to the name tells you everything you need to know about Raul. He has lived with the best defensive midfielder (Claude Makelele), best winger (Luis Figo), best creative midfielder (Zinedine Zidane), and best striker (Ronaldo) in the world of the last 15 years. He's seen them all come and go - not without his own drop in form - but has forged an incredible legend. He scored in both the triumphant Champions League finals of which he was part, is the all-time leading scorer in that competition, Madrid's all-time leading scorer, Spain's all-time leading scorer (and outfield appearance maker), climbing the all-time La Liga goalscorers chart and much, much more. Despite being named UEFA Club Forward Of The Year three times in a row in 2000, 2001 and 2002, Raul only managed the Silver Ball in the middle of those seasons. Being beaten to the line by Liverpool’s Michael Owen is one of the Ballon d’Or crimes of the century.



7) Oliver Kahn

Although he lost out to Jens Lehmann for the number one spot in the Germany team for the 2006 World Cup on home soil, there is no doubt that Kahn was one of the world’s best goalkeepers during the past 10-15 years. The Bayern legend amassed 86 caps for his country and was the outstanding performer at the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea, where he almost singlehandedly dragged Germany to the final. He won the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball, the Lev Yashin Award, and was voted into the All-Star team on the back of his World Cup displays. At the turn of the millennium, he was the best shot-stopper on the planet, but the closest Kahn came to the Ballon d’Or was successive third places in 2001 and 2002.

6) Alessandro Nesta

Certainly the most naturally talented defender of this decade, when Nesta was fully fit there was no one better. Unbeatable in almost every department, Nesta won every major team honour in the game in the noughties apart from Euro 2000, a trophy he was seconds away from winning. Milan's two Champions League crowns in 2003 and 2007 can be largely attributed to Nesta, who was immaculate in the final wins over Juventus and Liverpool respectively. Has struggled with injuries recently, and missed all of Italy's knockout games at Germany 2006, pushing him to eventually retire from internationals, but this season he has returned to being the best defender in the world. The telepathic Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro are one of the greatest centre back duo's international football has ever seen. Like Thuram, Nesta never even finished in the Top 3 for the Ballon d’Or.




5) Lilian Thuram

Quite probably the best French stopper of all time, Thuram was the perfect defensive specimen. Possessing lightning speed and bull-like strength, Thuram was tactically intelligent, a superb tackler and a real leader. Won multiple honours with Juventus and France, including Euro 2000, excelling both at right back and in his favoured centre back role. As he hit his mid-thirties he endured a couple of mixed seasons with Barcelona, as well as an under-par Euro 2008, but this could not overshadow the achievements that had arrived before. Never even finished in the Top 3 in a Ballon d’Or awards ceremony.

4) Cafu

Not so much a right-back as a nuclear powered high speed intercontinental super train with a grin on its face. One of six children, Marcos Evangelista de Moraes grew up in the broken alleys of a Sao Paolo shanty town and soon realised that football was going to be his only way out. 'Il Pendolino ' didn't arrive in Italy until he was 27-years-old. Six relentlessly impressive seasons with Roma were followed by five almost as consistent years at the San Siro and Cafu was able to retire safe in the knowledge that there has not been a better right-sided wing-back anywhere in the world in the last ten years. Internationally, he was a leader as he captained his country to 2002 World Cup success. With 142 caps, Cafu is Brazil's highest appearance maker, and he also picked up a World Cup winners medal in 1994. Never even considered for the Ballon d’Or, though.




3) Gianluigi Buffon

The best goalkeeper of his generation by quite some distance, there is every chance that Buffon will go down in history as the greatest shot-stopper of all time. A major protagonist during Italy's 2006 World Cup success, Buffon became the most expensive goalkeeper in the world in 2001 when he transferred from Parma to Juventus for €52 million. He won four Scudetti with the Bianconeri, although two of these were revoked due to Calciopoli. A true match-winner for club-and-country, and perfect in almost every goalkeeping department, aside from saving penalties - possibly his only weakness. Buffon finished second in the Golden Ball race in 2006.

2) Thierry Henry

Arsenal's greatest goalscorer of all-time, France's greatest goalscorer of all time, Arsenal's best forward in history, one of France's best forwards in history. A lightning-paced striker, who was unstoppable when cutting in from the left, Henry scored 226 goals in just 370 games for Arsenal, and was their main man in the legendary Invincibles season of 2003-04 when The Gunners went the entire campaign without losing a league game. Two Premier League titles, as well as a treble of a Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey in an outstanding second season at Barcelona last term - Henry has now won every major honour in the game, barring the Club World Cup he can win next month. Henry was also a star at Euro 2000, but incredibly he has never won the Ballon d’Or.



1) Paolo Maldini

What is there left to say about the extraordinary career of the greatest left-back in the history of the game? Having spent his entire club career in the red and black No.3 shirt, Maldini spent a record-breaking 25 years in the first team. In that time, he won seven Serie A championships, one Coppa Italia, five Supercoppa Italiana, five Champions League's, five European Super Cups, two Intercontinental Cups and one FIFA World Club Cup. Tragically he never won the Ballon d’Or, which will go down as one of football's greatest mysteries. The closest Maldini came was third place in 1994 and 2003, and the Italian certainly paid the price for the tendency to give the prize to attacking players.
A decent article from le crapper (for once :tongue:)
 

Pedro

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A decent article from le crapper (for once :tongue:)

Hell no. They put Nesta at 6th place which is a Drogba-style disgrace. They are nuts.
 

manutd fan

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Schmeichel > Buffon > Kahn.

Shmeichel is the best keeper I've ever seen, followed by Buffon. Kahn shouldn't be on that list IMO.

Fair Balon D'or list though...
 

Senatore_M84

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Schmeichel > Buffon > Kahn.

Shmeichel is the best keeper I've ever seen, followed by Buffon. Kahn shouldn't be on that list IMO.

Fair Balon D'or list though...

no bias :D

Schmeichel was damn good. I only saw tail end of his man utd days but I'd say Buffon may be above him in terms of career and longevity. It's really hard to rate buffon fully till he retires. He's only 31. Look at van der saar or schmiechel. Should buffon go another 5+ years, produce another amazing world cup or euros, can he be left off?

Kahn was amazing. Dida had a 2 year run of form i'd say he was best in world, and a 5 or so year period he was world class.

How would you rate best keepers TODAY (on form):

It's hard for me but i'd have to say...
1. Julio cesar
2. Buffon
3. Brad Friedel
4. Peter cech
5. Van der saar/reina?

TBH I Dunno, i feel like Cesar and Buffon are really only true world class keepers todays... After that in all honesty i'd consider friedel/howard/van der saar if i was playing 1 match.
 

manutd fan

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no bias :D

Schmeichel was damn good. I only saw tail end of his man utd days but I'd say Buffon may be above him in terms of career and longevity. It's really hard to rate buffon fully till he retires. He's only 31. Look at van der saar or schmiechel. Should buffon go another 5+ years, produce another amazing world cup or euros, can he be left off?

Kahn was amazing. Dida had a 2 year run of form i'd say he was best in world, and a 5 or so year period he was world class.

How would you rate best keepers TODAY (on form):

It's hard for me but i'd have to say...
1. Julio cesar
2. Buffon
3. Brad Friedel
4. Peter cech
5. Van der saar/reina?

TBH I Dunno, i feel like Cesar and Buffon are really only true world class keepers todays... After that in all honesty i'd consider friedel/howard/van der saar if i was playing 1 match.

If you only saw Schmeichel's last few seasons then you never saw what he was about.

He was so good around 1996 it was unreal. He did saves I never thought were possible and was by far the best at saving 1 on 1's I've ever seen.

To show how good he was, 1999 was probably his worst season with us, and yet that season he was still seen as being immense.

Buffon is amazing, and definately one of the best of all time, but he's no Schmeichel.



As of today I'd say Buffon, Cesar and to a lesser extent Cassilas are in a league of their own, followed by Reina, VDS, Given and 1 or 2 others.

Shame Cech got that head injury as he's not a patch how he was a few years back.
 

Senatore_M84

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cassillas is utter crap. I dunno y the british media thinks he's good. He's one of the least consistant (top flight) keepers I've ever seen. Him AND valdes can be amazing 1 day, awful the bext.


The Reason I think Buffon is great is his level of consistency is unparalleled. I'd say Cesar is better TODAY, and has been world class for a few years now, but Buffon has been near unstoppable for a decade, and who knows how long he'll go? I can't recall him ever being out of posiition

+1 about Cech, He's good now. but pre-head injury he was an absolute monster and every bit on pace to follow Buffon



Edit: i'm not saying Schmeichel isn't great but consider fact Buffon isn't close to done. It's hard to compare. How old was Schmiechel when he came to man utd? 30??? Buffon is 31 NOW. It's ridiculous.....

another note: Whats up w/ schmiechel's son? He seemed promising w/ Man City a couple years back
 

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Ballon D'Or Result

1. Lionel Messi (ARG/Barcelona) 473 points
2. Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Manchester United/Real Madrid) 233
3. Xavi (ESP/Barcelona) 170
4. Iniesta (ESP/Barcelona) 149
5. Samuel Eto'o (CMR/Barcelona/Inter Milan) 75
6. Kaka (BRA/AC Milan/Real Madrid) 58
7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE/Inter Milan/Barcelona) 50
8. Wayne Rooney (ENG/Manchester United) 35
9. Didier Drogba (CIV/Chelsea) 33
10. Steven Gerrard (ENG/Liverpool) 32


11. Fernando Torres (Espagne, Liverpool): 22 pts
12. Cesc Fabregas (Espagne, Arsenal) : 13 pts
13. Edin Dzeko (Bosnie, Wolfsburg) : 12 pts
14. Ryan Giggs (Pays de Galles, Manchester United) : 11 pts
15. Thierry Henry (France, FC Barcelone) : 9 pts
16. Luis Fabiano (Brésil, FC Séville), Nemanja Vidic (Serbie, Manchester United), Iker Casillas (Espagne, Real Madrid): 8 pts
19. Diego Forlan (Uruguay, Atletico Madrid) : 7 pts
20. Yoann Gourcuff (France, Bordeaux) : 6 pts
21. Andreï Archavine (Russie, Arsenal), Julio Cesar (Brésil, Inter Milan), Frank Lampard (Angleterre, Chelsea) : 5 pts
24. Maicon (Brésil, Inter Milan) : 4 pts
25. Diego (Brésil, Werder Brême puis Juventus Turin) : 3 pts
26. David Villa (Espagne, Valence), John Terry (Angleterre, Chelsea) : 2 pts
28. Franck Ribéry (France, Bayern Munich), Yaya Touré (Côte d'Ivoire, FC Barcelone) : 1 pt
30. Karim Benzema (France, Lyon puis Real Madrid): 0 pt
 

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cassillas is utter crap. I dunno y the british media thinks he's good. He's one of the least consistant (top flight) keepers I've ever seen. Him AND valdes can be amazing 1 day, awful the bext.


The Reason I think Buffon is great is his level of consistency is unparalleled. I'd say Cesar is better TODAY, and has been world class for a few years now, but Buffon has been near unstoppable for a decade, and who knows how long he'll go? I can't recall him ever being out of posiition

+1 about Cech, He's good now. but pre-head injury he was an absolute monster and every bit on pace to follow Buffon



Edit: i'm not saying Schmeichel isn't great but consider fact Buffon isn't close to done. It's hard to compare. How old was Schmiechel when he came to man utd? 30??? Buffon is 31 NOW. It's ridiculous.....

another note: Whats up w/ schmiechel's son? He seemed promising w/ Man City a couple years back

Plays for Notts County I think.

In terms of longetivity then yeah, I'd say Bufffon is possibly the better, but unless Buffon get's even better, Schmeichel at his best will always be a couple of notches above him or anyone else I've seen.

Shmikes was 27/28 when we bought him.
 

Redman10

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I never knew what was the big deal about Kahn. I never saw anything special about him.
 

Madridista

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cassillas is utter crap.
I think you got carried away there with your annoying rating expert act. It really kills your allknowledgeable pretenses. Casillas is one of the best keepers around for years, one mistake against Pato doesn't make him poor and Valdes isnt worth mentioning in the same breath.





Congratulations to the midget, too bad Pato will make him fall into oblivion in the next years.
 

Senatore_M84

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go fuck off to a madrid forum...

but in all seriousness, an exaggeration yes, but i've seen him make MANY pointless errors. Worse than Dida i'd say. His ability to handle crosses is shakey, his positioning is often off.... He's instinctual, but alot of time that leaves him hung to dry. I'd rather have a consistent keeper than a guy capable of amazing and awful








Just like how cannavaro is conned the world into thinking he's a worlds greatest defender (of a time perioD), cassillas is to goalkeeping. Just cause you produce some amazing doesn't mean ur near world class.....


Edit: In short, Casillas is INCREDIBLY ERROR PRONE.
 
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Ashish

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saint iker is one of the best gks in the world if not the best.

he is awesome, only player i love in real merda, he is just unbelievable, he was far better tha gigi last year but as a whole buffon is in another league.

but i am impressed by merda keeper, he is also awesome. and wtf is vds eating he is improving with age :eek: only if abbiatti was fit to play for us :D
 

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I never knew what was the big deal about Kahn. I never saw anything special about him.

I did, the USA - Germany 2002 WC quarterfinal game, we had many great scoring chances against Germany and Kahn stopped them all. Rudi Voller himself said that Kahn saved them that night. He was amazing in that game.
 
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Madridista

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Edit: In short, Casillas is INCREDIBLY ERROR PRONE.

Rubbish. Every keeper makes mistakes. You try to protect your goal with those Madrid defences. Casilas has been pulling off miracles for Madrid for a decade. putting him in the same bracket with Valdes is nonsense only you with your puffed up rebel-expert act can produce. Iker is the third best keeper of the world after Buffon and Cesar.
 

crazy4milan

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I did, the USA - Germany 2002 WC quarterfinal game, we had many great scoring chances against Germany and Kahn stopped them all. Rudi Voeller himself said that Kahn saved them that night. He was amazing in that game.

I don't have it clear cause that WC was full of errors to make it the dream final with the dream ref, and keeping Korea as long as possible playing in Korea, but wasn't there a huge mistake against you guys that also saved them too?
 

Senatore_M84

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Rubbish. Every keeper makes mistakes.

thats you're opinion. He gets lucky a lot cause he goes out of position A LOT. That is not really disputeable, thats knowing goalkeeping. A good keeper knows how to run the box, half the time he can't handle a cross properly. He gambles alot, he's just RISKY.

Look at cesar, buffon you never see them out of position....They may be a second late occasionally but there intelligence understanding of the position is second to none... when have you ever seen either charge balls incorrectly or mishandle crosses?

yeah on reflex saves Casillas is wonderful but I could care less, his positioning is less than average. BTW I find it funny you say that madrid defense when you often say sergio ramos and pepe are world class. Playing both sides aren't we?

I've never been a fan of his style, always found him a gigantic risk in the back because of how much he gambles and goes out of position.


edit: infact how could i forget... confed cup vs. usa.... 2nd goal



what the hell was that? Classic Casillas, can't make decision and kinda flops instead of holding his ground of fully charging that cross...
 
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Lisa

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I don't have it clear cause that WC was full of errors to make it the dream final with the dream ref, and keeping Korea as long as possible playing in Korea, but wasn't there a huge mistake against you guys that also saved them too?

Yeah, a Greg Berhalter shot was partially blocked by Kahn, then Frings I believe got his hand on it and kept it from going in. The ref, Hugh Dallas (Scotland) ruled it unintentional and I remember the guys not protesting too much about it. Me on the other hand was screaming at the tv, calling Dallas every name I could think of, because if we had scored, it would have tied the game at one. Instead, we ended up losing 1-0 on a Ballack goal.
 

Senatore_M84

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As i recall... Friedel was awesome in 2002 v. Germany (or was it v. Mexico)


Brad Friedel... now theres a class keeper. Keller, Friedel, Howard.... It's the only position US makes world class
 

Calum1903

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Kahn is possibly the greatest player I've ever seen in the flesh, and manutd_fan is a great big bag of bias.


calling Dallas every name I could think of


I know the feeling. Filthy, cheating masonic cockend.
 

Lisa

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As i recall... Friedel was awesome in 2002 v. Germany (or was it v. Mexico)


Brad Friedel... now theres a class keeper. Keller, Friedel, Howard.... It's the only position US makes world class

It was Mexico, Friedel was in that game what Kahn was against us. That was a sweet sweet win; shutting them out made it even sweeter.

Yeah, too bad we can't develop the other positions the way we do gks.
 

crazy4milan

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Like everything that is wrong with the world...it had to be a scot :head:...wait no, I actually love scots ;).

Yeah, too bad we can't develop the other positions the way we do gks.

We apparently suffer from that too.

Ok, turning in topic, not a surprise about the Ballon d'Or, it was kind of a written law some years ago that Kaka, C.Ron and Messi would've win it.
 

Senatore_M84

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It was Mexico, Friedel was in that game what Kahn was against us. That was a sweet sweet win; shutting them out made it even sweeter.

Yeah, too bad we can't develop the other positions the way we do gks.

eric wynalda has an interesting theory for that.... he says its only position the youth level coaches don't mess with. all the others, they always shift them positions 'attacker to defender' left to right, game to game to make them 'all around' yet none of them every become really great at any one thing
 

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thats you're opinion. He gets lucky a lot cause he goes out of position A LOT.



what the hell was that? Classic Casillas, can't make decision and kinda flops instead of holding his ground of fully charging that cross...

whatever... He's been playing with duds like Pavon and Raul Bravo for most of his career and made a living out of saving their pathetic asses. Right now Pepe and Ramos are worldclass but Albiol is still fitting in even though he's good but the left side is a disaster and has been leaking goals left and right.

As for that goal, watch closer as there are two defenders (Pique and Ramos) that are much more to blame than him, and him going for the ball was absolutely correct if Pique didnt deflect it like a moron.

btw downplaying his shot stopping reflexes is plain stupid, like saying so what if a striker scores loads of goals. As a shot stopper he is the best, he is a bit worse in the other stuff so thats why he isn't undisputed best, but top three certainly and class above that buffoon Valdes.
 
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